Although department stores have already begun filling their windows with spring season lines, the weather report still forecasts cool temperatures. Winter is here to stay…for a bit. Lucky for local families, New York City offers plenty of indoor activities to keep kids entertained for the coming weeks. We’ve hit up several local museums to find the best ways to stay warm and have fun (while learning!) until spring arrives.
Children’s Museum of Manhattan (cmom.org)
The Children’s Museum of Manhattan’s newest exhibit, 10-Foot Cops, gives guests a look into the history and daily lives of New York City’s Mounted Police Force. The exhibit is on loan from the New York City Police Museum. Separately, only two sessions remain in CMOM’s second annual James Beard Foundation Family Chef Series. Led by Chefs Waldy Malouf and Terrance Brennan, the discussions teach families how to cook healthy, affordable recipes that even picky eaters will enjoy. Typically closed on Mondays, CMOM will be open on President’s Day, with a host of special activities including a President’s Hunt, during which kids can get autographs from costumed former presidents and first ladies, and Presidential Coin Collage, where children can create their own presidential coins. The museum also offers free admission to all guests from 5-8pm on the first Friday of every month.
- 10-Foot Cops, exhibit opens January 26
- President’s Hunt, February 18, 10am-12pm and 1:30-4:30pm
- Presidential Coin Collage, February 18, 10am and 1pm
- James Beard Foundation Family Chef Series with Waldy Malouf, February 24, 2pm and 3:30pm
- James Beard Foundation Family Chef Series with Terrance Brennan, March 27, 2pm and 3:30pm
Brooklyn Children’s Museum (brooklynkids.org)
The Brooklyn Children’s Museum offers several special events to celebrate upcoming holiday. At Gameshow: Black History Month, kids can show off their knowledge of famous African American historical figures, and learn something new, too. If you can’t attend any of the February events, make sure to get to the Museum before Global Shoes, an exhibit that uses a pretend shoe store to teach children about global cultures, closes in March. Visit the Brooklyn Children’s Museum for no charge 4-7pm on the third Thursday of every month.
- Gameshow: Black History Month, February 23, 3:30pm
- Global Shoes, exhibit closes March 10
Children’s Museum of the Arts (cmany.org)
The Children’s Museum of the Arts celebrates its silver anniversary in 2013 with many activities, including a new exhibit. Face to Face uses children’s artwork from as far back as the 1930s to explore self identity and includes 40 portraits from 50 countries. The fifth annual Around the World With CMA, which celebrates the art and beauty of different cultures in New York City, will feature Artsy Gras, a look at New Orleans’s Mardi Gras. Throughout February, CMA also offers free weekend inclusive classes, which accommodate both disabled and able-bodied children ages 7 and up. Upcoming class topics include Stop-Motion Animation, where kids use computer software to create scenes and animated shorts, and Sculpt It: Clay Works, which lets kids create their own clay creations.
- Face to Face, exhibit opens February 7
- Around the World With CMA: Artsy Gras, February 16, 10am–5pm
- Sculpt It: Clay Works, February 17, 1–3pm
BONUS: American Museum of Natural History (amnh.org)
Those families not afraid of a little cold—or a little walking—should check out the American Museum of Natural History’s Winter Lunchtime Bird Walks in Central Park. Throughout February, guests are encouraged to bring binoculars and comfortable shoes to walk through the park with an ornithologist. If your kids prefer to stay inside but still want to learn about science and natural history, there are many options. Fourth and fifth grade students can learn to think like scientists in Search for Life. Younger kids (Pre-K and K) can get a taste of life as an astronaut in AstroFavorites: The NASA Training Missions. And kids of all ages and their parents can enjoy Whales: Giants of the Deep, which takes a closer look at the largest mammals on Earth, when the exhibit opens in March.
- Winter Lunchtime Bird Walks in Central Park, every Thursday in February, 12–1:30pm
- Search for Life, February 16, 10am–3pm
- AstroFavorites: The NASA Training Missions, March 5, 9, and 12, 4–5:30pm
- Whales: Giants of the Deep, exhibit opens March 23
For more information on these events, please call or check the website of the Museum. Know of any other exciting upcoming events at NYC Museums? Comment below and let us know!
